The effects of Bobath therapy on children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review

Abstract

Background/Aims Despite its broad application in paediatric care, the effectiveness of therapy based on the Bobath concept has not been systematically researched. The aim of this review was to explore whether there is scientific evidence regarding the validity of the Bobath concept as an effective therapy for children with cerebral palsy. Methods A search was conducted between March and December 2020, of research databases (Cochrane, PEDro, PubMed, Web of Science), selecting randomised controlled trials published since 2015, which compared Bobath therapy with other therapies in terms of their effect on the gross motor functions of children with cerebral palsy. Results Applying the eligibility criteria, four randomised controlled trials were selected, three of which found Bobath therapy to be more effective than other therapies as a therapeutic method, while one found no difference between Bobath therapy and another therapy. No study that met the inclusion criteria found Bobath therapy to be less effective than another therapy. Conclusions The principal limitation of this review has been the small number of randomised controlled trials found and so the results must be interpreted with caution. Nonetheless, studies showed that therapy based on Bobath therapy improves the gross motor function of children with cerebral palsy.